Apparatus for cooling oils or other fluids



June 13, 1933.

H. w. ELLIS er A L APPARAT-US FOR COOLING OILS 0R OTHER FLUIDS Filed March 11, 1952 5 Sheets-Shea?l l June 13, 1933. H. w. ELLls E-r-AL APPARATUS FOR COOLING OILS OR OTHER FLUIDS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March l1, 1932 June 13, 1933.` H. w. ELLIS ET Al.

APPARATUS FOR COOLING OILS OR OTHER FLUIDS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March ll, 1932 c@ w N m@ wm June 13, 1933. H. w. ELLIS ET AL APPARATUS FOR COOLING OILS OR OTHER FLUIDS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March l1, 1932 June 13, 1933. H W ELUS E'r'AL 1,914,084

APPARATUS FOR COOLING OILS OR OTHER FLUIDS Filed March ll, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 13, 1933 narran s raras .PATENT` `orricfE HERBERT WALTER ELLIS, OF WEMBLEY PARK, AND RICHARD WILLIM BOTTOMLY, OF ILFORD, ENGLAND APPARATUS COOLING OILS 0R OTHER FLUIDS Application `iled March 11, 1932, Serial fNo. 598,268, and in Great Britain 'March 18, 1931.

This invention yrelates to apparatus for cooling oil and oily liquids and especially for cooling lubricating oil used in Diesel or other internal combustion engin-es, or the oil used for cooling electrical transformers and other 'like purposes, which oil being subjected to repeated use is usually passed through a cooler before being returned to use. Y.

The objects of the invention are to ensure high cooling efliciency bymeans of an apparatus which is more compact and reliable than cooling apparatus :heretofore employed for the purpose, and which is adapted for working over klong periods without liability to stoppages heretofore caused by choking or fouling of tubes, ducts or passages of the apparatus. Furthermore, in the event of the apparatus requiring to be cleaned, this operation can be carried out with a'saving of time and vlabour as compared with theA time and labour involved in cleaning known types of apparatus such as the tubular type.

A distinguishing characteristic of rthe apparatus according to the invention is that means are provided for distributing the oil as a film between and in contact with two closely spaced and relatively movable actively cooled surfaces having means projecting from each for scraping the oil from the other and for discharging the oil from the apparatus, the operation of the apparatus thus compellingthe hot oil to be spread in a thin layer or film and sandwichedbetween the two actively cooled surfaces whichare constantly kept` clean, so that a high degree of heat conductivity or heat exchange is maintained.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the cooling-surfaces are water-cooled, that is, are provided with water-jackets through which cooling water is passed, it being Vpreferred to pass a distinct stream of water through each jacket. In other words it is desirable that the water be passed through the jackets in parallel. The cooling jackets are preferably fitted withmeansv for producing a `circuitous course for the cooling water to ensure that all parts of the cooling surfaces are. actively cooled'.

Owing to the narrow space between the two vcooling surfaces, necessary to ensure a thinlayer or film, the insertion' of independent Scrapers between them, for cleaning them, is a practicable impossibility. This diiculty is overcomebythe provisionof cooperating Scrapers projecting from and carriedby each of the respectivesurfaces.

Whena cylindrical form is adopted for the icooling surfaces and a relative rotary movement is effected between them, such, for example, as an actively cooled drum rotating with its periphery in closely 'spaced relation to the inner cylindrical surface of anwenclosing jacketed casing, the scrapers on one may be adapted Vto recede relatively fromthose orfthaton vthe other as they pass one another. In such a case also, the scrap-y ers co`operate to discharge the cooled oil through a suitable outlet in the casing.

In order to ensure efficient spreadingy of the oil as it enters the apparatus, a feed-box having ,a wide feeding passage is provided, and this passage may be water-cooled.

The invention is illustrated by practical examples in the drawings, annexed hereto,

wherein:-

Figure l is a side lsectional elevation on the line I-I of Figure 2, through one form of cooler, showing the casing, drum land bearings supporting the drum in the casingl.y

Figure 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, corresponding thereto. Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line VIe-VI of Figure 2.

Figure' 7 shows a fragment of the Xed scraper.

Figure 8 is a cross-section through the inner drum shaft.

Figures 9 and 10 are elevations, similar to Figures 4 and 5, but showing a water-cooled oil outlet port.

Figure 11 is a plan, partly in section, of the oil collecting box shown in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of part of a fixed scraper.

Figure 13 is a diagrammatic View of another form of the invention in which the oil circulates through two cooling systems.

Figure 14 is a section through the inlet and outlet ports.

In the form of cooling apparatus illustrated by Figures 1 to 12, the relatively movable cooling surfaces consist of the periphery of a rotary drum 1 and the inner cylindrical surface of a stationary casing 2 which are very closely arranged so as to leave a slight clearance 3 between them, which is of the order of 1/64 to 33g according to the size of the apparatus and the nature. of the oil or fluid to be cooled.

The drum 1 has end plates 4 and 5 secured to it by screws 6 and 7, the circumferential edges 74, 74, having very slight clearance between them and the inner cylindrical surface of the casing 2. The end plates 4 and 5 have respectively, hollow trunnions 8 and 9.

In order to provide the drum 1 with a water jacket 10, an inner drum 11 is mounted within it, the drum 11 having end plates 12 and 13 secured to it by screws 14 and 15, the plates 12 and 13 having, respectively, trunnions 16 and 17 fitted in the hollow trunnions 8 and 9. The end plates 12 and 13 are spaced from the end plates 4 and 5 so as to form water jackets 18 and 19 at the ends of the drum 1, the trunnion 16` being provided with water inlet passages 20 and the trunnion 17 with water outlet passages 21. The interior of the drum l is provided with helical webs 22, 23 to increase the heat conducting surface, the webs 23 touching the inner drum 11, so that cooling water entering by the passages 20 is compelled to take a helical course throughout the cooling jacket 10 of the drum 1 before escaping by the passages 21.

The stationary casing 2 is provided with a water jacket 24. It has end covers 25 and 26 provided, respectively, with bosses 27 and 28 forming bearings for the trunnions 8 and 9. The bosses 27 and 28 are provided with glands 29 and 30.

A boss 31 surrounds the outer part of the trunnion 8 and has an annular passage 32 communicating with holes 33 in the trunnion. The boss 31 has packing 34 and 35 and a gland 36. It also has a water inlet connection 37, which also has a branch 38 communicating with a passage 39 in the cover 25, which conducts water to the jacket 24 of the casing 2.

The jacket 24 is provided with numerous longitudinal partitions 40 having openings 41 at alternate ends, so that the water is compelled to take a prolonged circuitous path through the jacket 24. It also has numerous ribs 42 to increase the cooling surface.

An inlet passage 43 for the hot oil and an outlet passage 44 for cooled oil are provided in the casing 2.

The passage 43 is divided by ribs 43', clearly shown in Figurev 3 to prevent the Scrapers 57 catching in the passage as they pass it.

The hot oil to be cooled first enters at a flanged connection 45 on a hollow cover or feed boX 46 having a wide passage 47 adapted to spread and lead the oil into the inlet passage 43, which is shaped as shown further to spread and distribute the oil on the drum 1.

The walls of the passage 47 have ribs 48 to increase the heat conducting surface. The walls of the inlet passages 43 separate the last two parts 49 and 50 of the water jacket 24 of the casing and the water from the part 49 passes through an opening 51 into the hollow feed box 46, passing under the lower ribbed wall of the passage 47 from one end to the other and thence around that end back over the upper wall to the first end, escaping through the opening 52 into the part 50, from which it enters an escape duct 53 Figures 1 and 2, and is led to the outlet connection 54.

The water which has passed through the upper part of the jacket 24 of the casing and reaches the last part 55 thereof also escapes into the duct 53 which may be divided by a web 56 to prevent interference between the two escaping streams of water.

The drum 1 is provided with a number of scrapers 57 situated in slots 58 Figures 2 and 4 and held in contact with the cooling surface formed by the inner cylindrical surface of the casing 2 by springs 67, so that in the rotation of the drum in the direction of the arrow 59, Figure 4, the oil is scraped from that surface and impelled around the narrow space or clearance 3 to| the outlet 44, where it is scraped off the drum 1 by a scraper 60, the oil passing out into a collecting box 61 from which it is discharged by a flanged connection 62 Figure 5.

The scrapers 57 are free to slide radially to a slight extent against the action of their springs 67 as they pass the scraper 60. The scraper 60 is held up to its work by springs 62', set screws 65 limiting any backward movement which might occur. The scraper 60 may have curved projections or cams 63 extending into recesses 64, Figure 3, each scraper 57 irst engaging with these cams as it approaches the scraper 60, so that a gradual engagement occurs tol enable the Scrapers 57 to be thrust back gently.

The sera-pers 57 and 60 are preferably rounded on their engaging faces so that the luv scrapers 57 also slide off lgently vfrom :the scraper `60.as they Apass'by them.

The drum is rotated =by lmeansof La shaft extension 66 `by any suitable driving means.

From lthe above, it will ibe clear .that the hot oil, fed in at the connection 45, first gives up some heatto the cooling water in the box 46 and in the parts 49, 50, of the coolingjacket24 of the casing. The-oil is then spread as a thin film or layer and carried round as such in the narrow clearance or space 3 between'the two extensive cooling surfaces, constituted by the inner cylindrical surfaceof the casing 2 and the periphery of the drum 1, bothof which are cooled by the water which circulates through their jackets. As both of these surfaces are :kept clean by the scrapers, the heat can be efficiently kconductedlthrough tothe water in the jackets.

The thin layer of voil so sandwiched between kthe actively cooled surfaces is thus efliciently cooled.

In :the example above described, the streams 'of cooling water which pass through the jacket of the casing are distinct from that .passing through the acket of the drum, that is to say, they pass in parallel, thus ensuring efficient cooling. Y

The oil collecting box r61 may be watercooled, .for example, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, wherein it has a water jacket 68 communicating .by openings 69 and 70 with adjacent parts55, 5() of the water jacket of the casing, so that water from the part passes through the jacket 68 atone end along ithe upper :part of the box 61 to and round .the .opposite end and back along the lower Vpart of `the lbox through the opening 70 into the lpart 50 of the casing .jacket-escaping into the outlet duct 53 as shown in Figure 10. 'It will be seen from .this figure that the duct 53 is divided by a web 56, so `that the two escaping streams vof water from the jackets of the two boxes 46 and 61 do not interfere lwith each other. Baffles 72 and 73 are preferably provided vover the openings 69 and. 70 to guide the water and to .avoid undue eddy currents at thesev parts.

if desired, in order to prolong the passage of @the oil between the two cooling surfaces, the :apparatus maybe designed so that the oil is compelled to make several revolutions about the drum before delivery, for example, in Figures 13 and 14 a drum is shown by which the oil makes two revolutions.

ln this form, the drum 1, in addition to the two end annular strips 74, 74, also has al cent-ral strip 75 so that the clearance or oil space 3 between the cooling surfaces is divided into two parts 76, 77.

Two scrapers 60, not shown, are provided, each fitting between one of the ribs 74 and Each scraper '57, however, Ymay extend along the :whole length of the drum `1, ythe drum and ythestrips 74, 75 being provided with 4a slot to accommodate it.

The scrapers are lin separatecompartments 78 and V79. i j

Oil from inlet connection 45 fflows 'into a widepassage 80, thence ,through an inlet passage 81 to vtheclearance 76 and after passing round with the drum is'scraped ofl' by ythe scraper `60 in the compartment 78. It then flows .through an inclined passage 82 to an inlet vpassage 83,'which delivers it tothe clearance 77, softhat it passes a second time round with the drum and-is scraped oil by the scraper 60 in the compartment A79 from'which it is discharged.

`Oil being a bad `conductor of heat, it kis most efficiently cooled inthe form of a film by means of the actively cooled sur-faces lapplied to each side of the film. As theoil or oily liquid retains fluidity lat the temperatures to'which it is normally cooled, .as Vfor example normal atmospheric temperatures, it is equally eflicientlymoved along and discharged bythe action of the scrapers fitted to `the relatively movable cooled surfaces. The invention :thus provides an apparatus which is reliable for continuous operation lwithout liability to stoppage yby choking,

and which is highly efficient in its intensive cooling of the large quantities-of oil vwith l which it is capable -of dealing. v

We claim :f-

1. An apparatusfor cooling oil kcomprising two closely spaced and relatively movable water-cooled surfaces, means `for distributing oil between and in contact with said surfaces, and yielding scraper means projectingv from eachof said surfaces 'for scraping the oil from the opposite surface said means co-operating to `discharge the oil from the apparatus.

v2. An apparatus for cooling oil, comprising two closely spaced, opposed, and relatively movable cooling surfaces, a cooling jacket for each of said surfaces, meanstfor supplyinga separate stream of cooling water to each of said jackets, means for supplying oil between and in contact with said cooling surfaces, and yielding scraper Ameans projecting from each of said cooling surfaces for scraping the oil from the opposite surface said means co-operating to discharge the oil from the apparatus.

f 3. An apparatus for cooling oil, comprising two closely spaced, and relatively rotatable .actively cooled surfaces, .means for distributing oil 'between and in contact with said cooling surfaces, and yielding scraper means `projecting fromeach of said surfaces for'scrapingfthe oil from rfthefopposite s urface Tand co-operating .to discharge the oil from the apparatus.

Y4. .An apparatus for 'cooling oil, -compris- Vic ing a closed casing having a cylindrical inner surface and a water-jacket adjacent to said surface, a drum arranged inside said casing with its eriphery in close proximity to said inner cylindrical surface of the casing, means for rotating said drum relatively to said surface, means for supplying a stream of cooling Water to the jacket of the casing and another stream t0 the interior of the drum, an inlet and an outlet for oil to and from the space between said inner surface of the casing and the periphery of said drum, scraper means projecting from the periphery of the drum and scraper means projecting from the inner surface of the casing for scraping said surface and periphery respectively, and for discharging the oil from the apparatus substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

5. An apparatus for cooling oil, comprising a casing having a cylindrical inner surface and end covers, a rotary drum inside said casing with its periphery closely spaced from the cylindrical inner surface of the casing, said drum having trunnions, bearings on the end covers of the casing for carrying said trunnions, a cooling-jacket in said casing adjacent to the inner cylindrical surface thereof, a cooling-jacket in said drum adjacent to the periphery thereof, means for supplying and delivering a separate stream of cooling water to and from each of said cooling-jackets, inlet means for admitting oil to the spacerbetween said inner cylindrical surface of the casing and the periphery of said drum, delivery means for discharge of oil-from said space, and scraper means projecting from the periphery of the drum and from the cylindrical surface of the casing for scraping said surface and periphery respectively and ensuring discharge of oilv from the apparatus.

G. An apparatus for cooling oil, comprising a water-cooled casing having a cylindrical inner surface vand a water-cooled drum inside said casing with Aits periphery closely spaced from said cylindrical surface, means for rotating said drum relatively to said surface, said casing having an oil inlet to and an oil outlet from the space between the periphery of the drum and said cylindrical surface, a water-cooled feed box adjacent to said oil inlet, a yielding scraper on the drum for scraping said cylindrical surface, and a scraper projecting from said cylindrical surface to scrape the periphery of the drum, said scrapers co-operating to discharge oil through said outlet, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

7 An apparatus for cooling oil, comprising a water-cooled casing having a cylindrical inner surface and a water-cooled drum inside said casing with its periphery closely spaced from said cylindrical surface,

means for rotating said drum relatively to said surface, said casing having an oil inlet to and an oil outlet from the space between the periphery of the drum and said cylindrical surface, a Water-cooled feed-box adjacent to said oil inlet, a water-cooled collecting box adjacent to said oil outlet and Scrapers for scraping said cylindrical surface and the periphery of said drum and foi discharging oil through said outlet, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

8. An apparatus for cooling oil, comprising a casing having a cylindrical inner surface, a water-jacket surrounding saitL surface, ribs in said jacket dividing the same into an extended course for the cooling water passedv therethrough, a drum inside said casing having its periphery closely spaced from said cylindrical surface, a water-jacket in said drum adjacent to said periphery, ribs in the water-jacket of the drum for dividing said jacket into an extended course for cooling water therethrough, means for supplying a separate stream of cooling water to each of said water-jackets, means for rotating said drum relatively to said casing, and cooperative scrapcrs projecting from said cylindrical surface and from the periphery of the drum for scraping said periphery and said surface respectively, said casing having an oil inlet to the space between the periphery of the drum and said cylindrical surface and an oil outlet from said space, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. An apparatus for cooling oil, comprising a casing having an external water-jacket, an inner cylindrical surface and end covers provided with bearings, a drum within said casing with its periphery closely spaced from said cylindrical surface, said drum having hollow trunnions mounted in said bearings and having their interiors in communication with the interior of said drum for the purpose of forming an inlet and an outlet for cooling water, said casing having an oil inlet and an oil outlet to and from the space between the periphery of the drum and said cylindrical surface, and co-operative serapers projecting from the periphery of the drum and from the said cylindrical surface for scraping said surface and said periphery respectively, and to discharge the oil through said outlet.

HERBERT WALTER ELLIS. RICHARD VVLLIAM BOTTOMLEY. 

